Control mechanism for swingable booms



Sept. 8, 1959 c, w s 2,903,142

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SWINGABLE BOOMS Filed Jan. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

E-EITJEW,

INVENTOR. Mar/ 0 (l)//// Sept. 8, 1959 M. c. WILLS CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SWINGABLE BOOMS Filed-Jan. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; Mar/'00 0. (d/l/ I 1/ ,4 HORNE 5 llli United CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SWINGABLE BOOMS Application January '16, 1956, Serial No. 559,482

4 Claims. (Cl. 212-66) This invention relates to excavating equipment and the general handling of dirt, sand, rocks and similar materials, the primary object being to provide for improved maneuverability and universal application through utilization of novel structure capable of permitting selective adjustment according to the use intended to be made.

It is the most important object of the instant invention to provide a machine of the aforementioned character wherein a boom is supported in a manner to permit a wide arc of swinging movement on a vertical axis by virtue of a simple expedient permitting selected attachment between the support and actuating structure therefor.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide in a boom support, means for increasing the extent to which the same may be lowered into an excavation.

Additional objects include important details of construction to be made clear as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying control mechanism for the swingable boom thereof made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the said control mechanism, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2, and illustrating schematically the range of swinging movement of the boom.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line IVIV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view on a reduced scale and similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

As can be seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the material handling equipment embodying improvements of the instant invention is particularly adapted for mounting on the rearmost end of a tractor 10 for support thereby and, to this end, there is included a frame 12 having auxiliary support means in the nature of a pair of swingable legs 14 that may be forced against the ground through use of hydraulic rams 16, thereby relieving the weight of the attachment from the rear wheels of tractor 10.

The frame 12 mounts a vertical shaft or standard 18 that in turn rotatably receives a tube 20 telescoped therearound. Tube 20 is in turn provided with a pair of spaced, forwardly-extending plates 22 to which is attached an elongated boom 24 for swinging movement about the horizontal axis of pivot pin 26. Boom 24 is controlled by hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 28 pivotally interconnecting boom 24 with plates 22.

tes Patent 0 1 connecting boom 24, arm 32 and bucket 30.

2,903,142 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 The structure carried by the boom 24 is of no consequence to the instant invention, but by way of illustration, there is shown a material handling bucket 30 pivotally mounted on a bucket arm 32, the latter of which is swingable about pivot means 34 that operably interconnects boom 24 and arm 32. A pair of doubleacting, hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies 36 and 38 pivotally interconnecting boom 24 and arm 32, imparts swinging movement to the latter. Bucket 30 in turn is actuated by linkage 40 and ram means 42 pivotally inte It is now seen that the entire assembly carried by the plates 22 and, therefore, tube 20, including boom 24 and its power control 28 and associated parts mounted on the boom 24, are swingable about the vertical axis of the standard 18.

The structure for swinging boom 24 in this manner includes a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 44 and 46 pivotally connected with the frame 12 and with a swingable element 48 disposed radially to the standard 18. To this end there is provided a sleeve 58 telescoped on the standard 18 for free rotation with spaced, radial lugs 54, 56 and 58 rigid to the lowermost face thereof and selectively adapted to be received between a pair of upstanding, spaced-apart lugs 60 rigid to the uppermost face of the device 48. Accordingly, when the lugs 54, 56 or 58 are received by lugs 60, actuation of the devices 44 and 46 impart swinging movement to the boom 24.

The tube 20 is normally held against upward movement with respect to the standard 18 upon which it is rotatably mounted by locking means in the nature of a yoke 62 reciprocable into and out of a locking position interposed between the upper end of the tube 20 and frame 12 in partial embracing relationship to the standard 18.

Consequently, when it is desired to change the relative positions of plate 52 and device 48, it is but necessary to first retract the locking means 62 and thereupon lower the bucket 30 to the ground and upon application of pressure through the medium of power means 28, the tube 20 will move upwardly to raise the plate 52 and therefore, the lugs 54, 56 and 58 out of locking engagement with the device 48. Thereupon, while the tube 20 and plate 52 are thus raised, it is but necessary to actuate the power means 44 and 46 to swing the device 48 and thereby align the lugs 60 with a different lug 54, 56 or 58. When alignment is eitected, the sleeve 20 is lowered and the locking device 62 returned to the normal position interposed between the upper end of tube 20 and that part of frame 12 which overlies the tube 20.

It is seen from the foregoing and particularly from Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the boom 24 has, by virtue of such structure, an eifective swinging arc of substantially When the lug 56 is received by the lugs 60 therebetween, the extent of swinging movement of the boom 24 upon actuation of the power means 44 and 46, is substantially within the arc defined by lines 64 and 66 in Fig. 3. If it is desired however, to reach laterally from the tractor 10 to one side thereof for swinging movement of the boom 24 between lines 68 and 70, the lug 54 is inserted between the lugs 60. When the lug 58 is between lugs 60, as seen in Fig. 4, the boom 24 swings throughout an are substantially as shown by full lines and dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings there is shown means where radsi tipna fie t ve s of he uipmen may beipobtained tromthe StdllflPQjlllLOf vertical movement of eboolm 2 .2 9 i flaxis A .P' j fiai r platesf 72 are ,swingably mounted on the pivot means 26 v andinwlieu of t e wer means 2. b g many q nt d to th platis zl it is attached: to plates 72 by pivot means 74.

Plates 72.v are in turn attached to the plates 22 by fastening mean's 76 and by 'virtue of the provision of plates 7 2,;the power means 28 is extended, perrnitting the digging of deeper, excavations by the bucket 30. N If, how i ever, itis desired to raise the efl eetive distangeto which ucketf wmaxb is df stenin ean ay ammerede P ates .7 wi p t t d t ep tionshgwninFig. 6 andthe fast ningmeans 76 em; ployed to attach the plates 72 to the plates 22byvirtue OfjhQlQSjSdll the plates 72 provided to receive the fasten ing means 76.. Theplates22 may ,beout away as at 80, when the pivot means 74 when the plates 72 are ard; and means on said structure selectively engageable with said devices when the apparatus is shifted away from the structure. i i

2. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a boom; a support; a vertical standard mounted on the support; boom-supporting apparatus rotatable about the vertical axis of thev standard; structure swingable about said for rotating saidappa ratus, said apparatus being shiftable vertically relative to the standard toward and way from said structure and being provided with a plurality of spaced locking devices extending radially outwardly with respect to the standard; means on said structure selectively engageable with said devices when the apparatus is shifted away from the structure; and releasable means on the support for holding the apparatus againstmovernent away from said structure.

3. In a machine of the kind described, a support; a vertical standard mounted .on the supporuapparatus rotatableabout the vertical axis of said standardand shift able vertically relati've thereto; a vertically swingable boom mounted on said apparatus; str ucture beneath said apparatus and normallylocked therewith for rotating the latter; and power means interconnectingthe boom and said apparatus for lowering the boom to the ground and thereby raising said apparatus out of locked relationship to said structure.

4.. Ina machine of the kinddescribed, the combination of a boom;.a support; boom-supporting apparatus carried bythe support and rotatable about a vertical axis; structure swingable about said axis for rotating said apparatus, said apparatus being' shiftable vertically toward and away from said structure and being provided with a plurality of spaced, locking devices extending radially outwardly with respect to saitd axis; means on said structure selectivelyengageable with saiddevices when the apparatus is shifted away from the structure; and releasable means on the support: for holding the apparatus against move:

mentaway from said structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,311,234 Kahr July 29, 1919 1,492,223 Rybeck Apr. 29, 1924 2,528,985, Wunsch Nov. 7, 1950 2,669,397 Wills etal. Feb. 16, 1954 2,672,990 Sundin Mar. 23, 1954 2,698,697 Holopainen Jan. 4, 1955 2,718,312 Pilch Sept. 20, 1955 2,755,939 Rushi July 24, 1956, 2,768,499 Piloh Oct. 30, 1956 

